New occurrences of phyllolepid placoderms from the Devonian of central Australia

Abstract

The first well-preserved bones of phyllolepid placoderms from the Devonian of central Australia are described from the Deering Hills and Waterhouse Range in the Amadeus Basin, and are compared with fragmentary remains from the Dulcie Range in the Georgina Basin. The fossil horizon in the Deering Hills occurs in strata previously mapped as part of the Mereenie Sandstone, but which clearly belongs to the Harajica Sandstone Member of the Parke Siltstone (Pertnjara Group). Two phyllelepid species of uncertain generic assignment appear to be represented in the Pertnjara Group. The Waterhouse Range occurrence may be a younger fossil horizon than that in the Deering Hills. A third indeterminate genus and species occurs in the upper Dulcie Sandstone in the Georgina Basin, and is associated with remains referable to Austrophyllolepis Long, 1984 and Placolepis Ritchie, 1984. These genera are otherwise only known from Frasnian strata in southeastern Australia. A provisional zonal scheme, with a suggested age range of late Givetian to late Famennian, is proposed for phyllolepid assemblages from Australia and Antarctica. -from Author Show more